Method for combining smoking article components

ABSTRACT

A method combines smoking article components. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a first group are supplied to a first tipping apparatus. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group are supplied to a second tipping apparatus. Each the articles of the first group and the second group are provided with a uniting band at the respective tipping apparatus. The articles of the first group and the second group are transported to a joint rolling apparatus. Each of the articles of the first group and the second group are wrapped with the respective uniting band at the joint rolling apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the priority of European Application No.03 008 450.3, filed on Apr. 11, 2003, the disclosure of which, togetherwith the disclosure of each U.S. and foreign patent and patentapplication mentioned below is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a method and a machine, in particular afilter-attachment machine, for combining smoking article components ofthe tobacco-processing industry. The invention furthermore relates to amultifunctional drum and a conveying drum for articles in thetobacco-processing industry.

[0003] German patent document DE-C-39 18 137, which corresponds to U.S.Pat. No. 5,054,346, describes a tipping paper apparatus for afilter-attachment machine. Glue-coated tipping paper is supplied asendless tipping paper web and is cut into individual sections and/oruniting bands with a cutting device. Following the cutting, the unitingbands are separated and their speed adjusted to the conveying speed forthe transported batches of cigarette-filter-cigarette groups.

[0004] The endless tipping paper web is transported with a constantpaper movement speed in the region upstream of a glue apparatus, up tothe point where the glue is applied. In the region between theglue-application point and a suction roller for the cut uniting bands,the paper-movement length fluctuates with the production cycle.Following cutting and separating, the tipping paper sections are held inplace by the suction roller and are transported with a uniform speed,which is higher than the movement speed of the endless tipping paperweb. The circumferential speed of the suction roller matches the speedof the cigarette-filter plug-cigarette groups transported in batches.

[0005] The paper movement length in the region between glue applicationand cutting on the suction roller is continuously shortened during theknife intervention to result in a slack portion developing in the papermovement in front of the suction roller. Even though the conveying speedof the endless tipping paper web is lower than the withdrawing speed ofthe suction roller, a sufficient paper length is always available suchthat the paper is not moved relative to the roller during the knifeintervention and a clean cut is possible. Following the cut, the paperis pulled back relative to the roller by lengthening the paper pathbetween glue application point and suction roller, thus resulting in anaverage paper-movement speed that matches the cigarette production speedthat is lower than the circumferential speed of the suction roller. Thepaper movement speed therefore fluctuates constantly around an averagevalue. The amplitude of these speed fluctuations is directlyproportional to the length of an individual band and the spacing betweenthe tobacco articles conveyed in batches.

[0006] Since the paper movement length between gluing apparatus andsuction roller is varied periodically to generate the fluctuations inthe paper movement speed, traction force fluctuations develop in thepaper movement that effect the glue application. Above a specificamplitude, this method for matching the paper movement to the tobaccoarticle movement by adapting the paper movement speed reaches a limitthat is predetermined by the traction resistance of the tipping paperand the quality of the glue application.

[0007] German Patent Document DE-A-196 26 679 discloses a dual-pathfilter-attachment machine for a cigarette production machine whichcomprises two different conveying paths for the tobacco articles, onefor attaching and one for rolling-over the tipping section.

[0008] European Patent Document EP-A-1 108 369 discloses that thecigarette-filter-cigarette groups are provided with a filler section inwhich only each first group of a series of cigarette-filter-cigarettegroups on a first drum is provided with a tipping band from a firsttipping apparatus and each second group is conveyed out of the conveyingpath of the first group and is provided on a second drum with a tippingpaper from a second apparatus. The wrapping of the two separate groupswith the tipping bands also occurs in separate rolling apparatuses. Thegroups are subsequently combined to form alternating series of groups,but only after the respective roll-over operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to ensure a high productquality for smoking articles, even with higher production capacities ona filter-attachment machine, wherein the design and construction costsshould be kept at a minimum.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, respectivelyone filter plug and/or one mouthpiece is inserted in a filter-attachmentmachine between cut tobacco rods that are spaced apart in a longitudinalaxial direction, wherein a glue-coated uniting band is subsequentlyattached to a cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group. A suction rollersupplies the glue-coated uniting band to a tipping apparatus with adefined spacing of the cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group, wherein adefined spacing in this case refers in particular to a spacingdetermined by the length of the uniting-band sections.

[0011] The present invention includes a method for combining smokingarticle components. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a firstgroup are supplied to a first tipping apparatus.Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group are suppliedto a second tipping apparatus. Each of the articles of the first groupand the second group are provided with a uniting band at the respectivetipping apparatus. The articles of the first group and the articles ofthe second group are transported to a joint rolling apparatus. Each ofthe articles of the first group and the second group are wrapped withthe respective uniting band at the joint rolling apparatus.

[0012] The present invention further includes an arrangement for afilter-attachment machine of the tobacco-processing industry. A firsttipping apparatus applies respective uniting bands to articles of afirst cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group, and a second tippingapparatus applies respective uniting bands to articles of a secondcigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group. A joint rolling apparatus wrapseach of the articles of the first group and the second group with therespective uniting bands.

[0013] The above-mentioned method and machine in particular are used forthe manufacture of filter cigarettes, which are conveyed cross-axiallyon a so-called filter-attachment machine, The output of this machineover time has increased again and again by leaps and bounds with respectto the number of articles produced per time unit and/or had to beadapted to the increased capacity of the upstream continuous cigaretterod machine.

[0014] The method according to the present invention thus permitsoperation of a single-track filter-attachment machine at a highproduction speed since the tipping paper feed to the articles has a dualdesign, so that one half of the articles (a first group) is providedwith uniting bands by one tipping apparatus and the other half (a secondgroup) is provided with uniting bands by another tipping apparatus. As aresult of the subsequent, single-track wrapping of the articles, it isfurthermore possible to use a simpler configuration than is known fromthe prior art while simultaneously having a compact design. Using only asingle rolling apparatus also lowers costs.

[0015] The articles of the first and second group are initially suppliedto a first tipping apparatus at which the articles of the first groupare provided with a uniting band by the first tipping apparatus.Subsequently, the articles of the first and second group are supplied ondifferent conveying paths to the joint rolling apparatus, at which thearticles of the second group are supplied along their conveying path toa second tipping apparatus where they are respectively provided with auniting band.

[0016] The conveying speed of the first and/or second group inparticular is varied before and/or after the transfer of the respectiveuniting band. The speed of the transported articles relative to thetipping-paper supply can thus be adapted through deliberatelycontrolling the tobacco article speed. The speed can be adapted before,during and after the uniting bands are glued on, independent of thespeed for the remaining production flow and the paper-movement speed inthe filter-attachment machine. During the speed change, the tobaccoarticles are moved individually, in pairs or in any optional multiplearrangement, wherein not only the speed changes, but also the spacingbetween the tobacco articles.

[0017] According to one modification, the articles from the first and/orsecond group are slowed down prior to the transfer of the uniting band.

[0018] The articles of the first and/or second group can be acceleratedagain following the transfer of the uniting band.

[0019] The speed change can either refer to a reduction or an increasein the speed of the transported tobacco articles relative to theirstarting speed and/or the average transport speed. The functionalseparation of the speed change in the paper movement speed fromtransporting speed and the distance between the tobacco articles towhich the tipping-paper band is glued can be critical. Viewed locallyand with respect to time, having the same transport speed for paper andtobacco articles is required only for the gluing operation of thetipping paper sections to the articles of the first and/or second group.The tipping paper supply speeds are thusly adapted to the transportspeeds of the tobacco articles to which the tipping paper sections areglued.

[0020] As a result of the speed variations, the spacing between thetobacco articles to be transported can also be reduced during the gluingoperation to stabilize the production process. At the same time, therequired spacing for separating the tipping paper sections is minimized,and the speed changes in the paper movement that are caused by the paperpullback (through the oscillator of the tipping apparatus) are reduced.As a result, fewer traction force fluctuations occur in the papermovement between the glue-application location and the location wherethe tipping paper sections are cut. On the whole, this results in animproved glue application, a more precise glue picture, less soiling, alower probability of paper tearing and an improved cut. The inventiontherefore ensures a secure and stable production with simultaneouslylower sensitivity of the method to fluctuations in the characteristicsof the production material.

[0021] A further improvement is achieved through partially attaching theuniting bands after they are transferred to the articles of the firstand/or second group. European Patent Application No. 020 235 24.8, thecontent of which is incorporated fully into the present patentapplication, discloses joining an exposed end of the uniting band to acigarette-filter plug-cigarette group. A folding star or a so-calledrolling star is provided for joining a free end of a uniting band to atobacco article.

[0022] According to one modification, the articles of the second groupare taken from the joint conveying drum . For this, in the exemplaryembodiment, the articles of the first and second group are supplied tothe tipping apparatus for the first group before the articles of thesecond group are removed.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment, the articles of the first and secondgroup are arranged in an alternating pattern on a conveying drum beforethe uniting bands are transferred to the first group.

[0024] The articles of the first and second group furthermore areadvantageously arranged in an alternating pattern on a conveying drumwhen the article groups are combined, so that the articles are suppliedto the joint rolling apparatus.

[0025] The uniting bands are transferred with a constant speed to thearticles of the first and/or second group.

[0026] The above and other objects are furthermore solved with amachine, in particular a filter-attachment machine, in thetobacco-processing industry, which is provided with respectively onetipping apparatus and a joint rolling apparatus provided for thearticles of a first and second group of cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarettegroups.

[0027] To match the speeds of the tipping apparatuses and the conveyingdrums, at least one conveying drum for which the spacing between thearticles of the first and/or second group can be changed is provided fortipping the articles with a uniting band.

[0028] To change the spacing between the articles, conveying drum can beadvantageously designed with small arms, brackets, levers or the likefor which the spacing in conveying direction can be varied, such thatthe transported articles are accelerated or decelerated relative to theconveying speed of a conveying drum.

[0029] According to an alternative modification, the conveying drum isprovided with pivoting lever segments, such that the lever segments canbe arranged so as to pivot on a drum body. The transported articles canbe accelerated or decelerated relative to the rotational speed of theconveying drum as a result of the pivoting of the lever segments duringthe conveying drum rotation.

[0030] It is furthermore advantageous if at least one feeder element isprovided for fitting at least one exposed end of a tipping paper sectionto the articles of the first and/or second group. This results in areduction of the spacing on a conveying drum of the partially joinedcomponents such that the tipping paper section adheres better to thearticle groups during the subsequent wrapping.

[0031] According to one exemplary embodiment, a multifunctional drum isprovided for processing the articles of the first and second group.

[0032] The multifunctional drum can be designed such that at least oneexposed end of a tipping paper section is joined to an article group andthat another article group is removed from a conveying drum. In thatcase, the multifunctional conveying drum combines the function of afeeder element and a removal drum. The production sequences at themachine are shortened by exercising both functions, which can be carriedout simultaneously. In addition, costs are saved because only oneoperating process is required in place of two.

[0033] A conveying drum can include a pivoting lever. The spacingbetween the articles and/or article groups can be changed with theselever segments, such that the articles on a conveying drum areaccelerated or decelerated.

[0034] The lever segments furthermore are provided with recesses orgrooves, designed for a careful transport of the articles to afilter-attachment machine.

[0035] It is furthermore advantageous if the distance between tworecesses on a lever segment is longer than the free end of a tippingpaper section between the articles.

[0036] At least one spacer is preferably provided on the lever segmentfor holding the free end of the tipping paper section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention is described in the following with the aid ofexemplary embodiments and without restricting the general inventive ideaby referring to the drawings, to which reference is made for all detailsof the invention not explicitly explained in the text.

[0038]FIG. 1 shows a front schematic view of a filter attachment machinewith two tipping paper units in accordance with the present invention.

[0039]FIG. 2 shows a drum arrangement for use in the filter attachmentmachine of FIG. 1.

[0040]FIG. 3 shows an alternative drum arrangement in accordance withthe present invention.

[0041]FIGS. 4a and 4 b show front and cross sectional views,respectively, of a lever segment in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] In the Figures described herein, the same reference numbers areused for identical or similar elements and/or parts, so that these donot need to be introduced again.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, a filter-attachment machine is provided withdouble-length tobacco rods via a drum arrangement T that supplies thetobacco rods from a continuous rod machine (not shown), Along theconveying path to a combining drum 21, the continuous rods are cut intospaced apart, individual rods. On the combining drum 21, double-lengthfilter sections, supplied via an additional drum arrangement M, arerespectively inserted between the two tobacco rods spaced apart in alongitudinal axial direction. As a result and as best shown in FIG. 2, afirst group of cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles 50 and a secondgroup of cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles 60 are sequentiallyformed laterally in a circumferential direction on the combining drum21.

[0044] The combined articles 50, 60 on the combining drum 21 are thentransferred to a conveying drum 22 and transported to a tippingapparatus 10.1 which operates to apply a uniting band, for example,tipping paper, for the articles 50 of the first group. A detaileddescription of such a tipping apparatus can be found in German patentdocument DE-C-39 18 137.

[0045] The tipping apparatus 10.1 includes a suction roller 12.1 and aknife drum 13.1 with cutting blades that cut the conveyed tipping-paperweb, to which glue has been applied, into tipping paper sections thatform uniting bands 40.1. (see FIG. 2) The uniting bands 40.1 aretransferred to the articles 50 of the first group on the conveying drum22.

[0046] Subsequently, the articles 50, 60 of the first and second groupsare transported to a folding star 23.1, which joins a front end of therespective uniting band 40.1 to the first group of articles 50. Next,the first and second groups of articles 50, 60 are transported to aremoval drum 24 that removes the second group of articles 60, which arenot yet provided with a uniting band, from the conveying drum 22.

[0047] The removal drum 24 transfers the removed articles 60 of thesecond group to a conveying drum 25 that transports the articles 60 ofthe second group to a second tipping apparatus 10.2. The second tippingapparatus 10.2 is provided with a knife drum 13.2, which cuts thetipping paper web in a joint operation with a suction roller 12.2. Thecut uniting bands are transferred to the articles 60 of the second groupand are attached thereto. The front end of the uniting band is thenjoined to the articles 60 of the second group on the conveying drum 25with the aid of a folding star 23.2. The conveying drum 25 conveys thearticles 60 of the second group to a drum 26.

[0048] The conveying drum 26 also receives the articles 50 of the firstgroup from the conveying drum 22. As a result, the articles 50 of thefirst group and articles 60 of the second group are arranged in analternating manner on the conveying drum 26. Subsequently, the articles50, 60 of the first and the second groups, respectively, are transportedto a rolling apparatus 27 with a rolling block such that the unitingbands are wound completely around the cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarettearticles 50, 60. The completely encased article groups 50, 60 aresubsequently transferred to further conveying drums 28, 29 and are madeavailable for further processing on a filter-attachment machine.

[0049] The conveying drum 22 is provided with movable small arms orbrackets 70 that contain recesses 71 for the articles 50, 60. Thus, thespacing between the alternately arranged articles 50, 60 can be changedand the speed of the articles 50, 60 on the conveying drum 22 can beadapted to the speed of the drum 12.1. The speed change is achieved bydecelerating the speed of the articles 50, 60 before transferring theuniting bands 40.1 to the articles 50, 60, such that at the point oftransfer of the uniting band 40.1 to the articles 50, the uniting band40.1 and the respective article 50 move at the same speed. Following thetransfer of the uniting bands 40.1, the articles 50, 60 on the conveyingdrum 22 are accelerated once more. Subsequently, the front end of theuniting band 40.1 is joined by the folding star 23.1 to the article 50.While the articles 50 with their uniting bands 40.1 are transported onthe drum 22 to the drum 26, the articles 60 of the second group thathave not yet been provided with a uniting band are conveyed by theremoval drum 24 to a conveying drum 25.

[0050] The deceleration and acceleration operations take placeindependent of the conveying speed for drum 22, essentially in theregion where the uniting band 40.1 is transferred to the article 50.However, the operations also function to adapt the speeds while articles50, 60 are received and/or removed and while the tipping paper sections40.1 are joined to the articles 50 of the first group.

[0051] According to a further modification, the small arms are designedsuch that several articles 50, 60 are held by one arm section (not shownin FIG. 2). In particular, respectively one article 50 of the firstgroup and one article 60 of the second group can be arranged in therecesses on an arm section. The spacing between the recesses is designedsuch that when attaching the tipping paper section 40.1 to the articles50 of the first group, the exposed end of the uniting band between thearticles 50, 60 does not come in contact with the preceding or followingarticles.

[0052] The spacing between the articles 50 of the first group and thearticles 60 of the second group is adjusted to create a sufficientdistance such that the uniting bands 40.1 from the first tippingapparatus 10.1 are joined to the articles 50 without the uniting bands40.1 touching the articles 60 of the second group.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the front endof the uniting band 40.1 is joined to the article 50 with amultifunctional drum, for example feeding element 33. The feedingelement 33 also functions to remove the articles 60 of the second group.Thus, the feeding element 33 combines the functions of the folding star23.1 and the removal drum 24 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

[0054] To adapt the speeds of articles 50, 60 relative to the conveyingspeeds of the uniting bands 40.1, 40.2, lever segments 35 and/or 36 areprovided on the conveying drums 22 and/or 25. Thus, by pivoting thelever segments 35 and/or 36, the speeds of the transported articles 50,60 is slowed before the respective uniting bands 40.1, 40.2 aretransferred to the articles 50, 60 and is accelerated once more afterthe uniting bands 40.1, 40.2 have been transferred. The drums 22, 25 canoperate identically in this respect.

[0055] The lever segment 35 of conveying drum 22 is provided withrespectively one holding recess for the article 50 of the first groupand one holding recess for the article 60 of the second group totransport the two groups of articles 50, 60. The spacing between holdingrecesses on the lever segment 35 is designed such that once the unitingband 40.1 is attached, the trailing end of the uniting band 40.1 doesnot contact with the following second article 60. The lever segment 36of the conveying drum 25, on the other hand, has only one recess for thesecond article 60 since the articles 60, which have not yet beenprovided with a uniting band, are conveyed via the conveying path forthe second group of articles 60 to the second tipping apparatus 10.2.The lever segments 35, 36 are arranged so as to swivel in a partialcircle of the conveying drum 22 and/or 25 and are tapered toward thedrum. The lever segments 35, 36 additionally are provided withthorn-type spacers 39 to prevent the uniting bands 40.1, 40.2 fromresting on the lever segments.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 4a and 4 b, the lever segments 35 of theconveying drum 22, as seen from the front and/or in a cross-sectionalview, are provided with two recesses for the articles 50, 60 receivedfrom the combining drum 21. The lever segments 35 can be pivoted arounda pivoting axis 37 aligned parallel to the rotational axis of the drum22. The pivoting of the lever segments 35 during the drum 22 rotationoccurs with a control gear 38, in which a cam disc 72 is guided inside acurved track 73. The lever segment 36 of drum 25 has an identical designand operation except that the lever segment 36 is provided only withrecesses for the articles 60 of the second group.

[0057] Each lever segment 35 is provided with respectively one holdingrecess for one article 50 of the first group and one article 60 of thesecond group. Spacers 39 are provided between the recesses to preventthe uniting band 40.1 from coming to rest on the lever segment once theuniting band 40.1 is attached to the articles 50 of the first group. Thespacing between the holding recesses is determined such that thetrailing end of the uniting band 40.1 does not come in contact with thearticle 60 of the second group.

[0058] In additional embodiments (not shown), the articles 50, 60 on thedrum 22 can also be arranged on levers that can be moved or which aremoved in radial and/or tangential directions.

[0059] The subject matter of the present invention makes it possible toincrease the filter-attachment speed of a filter-attachment machinewhile providing high format flexibility since the tipping paper for thetobacco articles to be wrapped is provided on two tracks and thecigarette-filter-cigarette groups to which a uniting band is attachedare wrapped on the single track of a joint rolling apparatus.

[0060] The invention has been described in detail with respect toexemplary embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing tothose skilled in the art, that changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the invention, therefore, as defined in theappended claims, is intended to cover all such changes and modificationsthat will fall within the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for combining smoking articlecomponents, comprising: supplying cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarettearticles of a first group to a first tipping apparatus; supplyingcigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group to a secondtipping apparatus; providing each the articles of the first group andthe second group with a uniting band at the respective tippingapparatus; transporting the articles of the first group and the secondgroup to a joint rolling apparatus; and wrapping each of the articles ofthe first group and the second group with the respective uniting band atthe joint rolling apparatus.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstgroup supplying step includes initially supplying the articles of thefirst group and the second group to the first tipping apparatus at whichonly the articles of the first group are supplied with the unitingbands, wherein the transporting step includes transporting the articlesof the first group and the second group along first and second conveyingpaths, respectively, to the joint rolling apparatus, and wherein thesecond group supplying step includes supplying the articles of thesecond group with the uniting bands along the second conveying path. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the transporting step includes conveyingthe articles of the first group and the second group at a conveyingspeed, and wherein the transporting step further includes varying theconveying speed of at least one of the first group and the second groupat at least one of before and after the respective uniting band has beenprovided.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transporting stepincludes decelerating the articles of at least one of the first groupand the second group prior to the providing of the uniting band.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the transporting step includes acceleratingthe articles of at least one of the first group and the second groupfollowing the providing of the uniting band.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising, following the providing step, partially wrapping oneend of the uniting bands to the articles of at least one of the firstgroup and the second group.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransporting step includes conveying the articles of the first group andthe second group on a joint conveying drum and further includes removingthe articles of the second group from the joint conveying drum
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the transporting step includes conveying thearticles of the first group and the second group in an alternatingpattern on a joint conveying drum, said conveying step occurring atleast prior to the uniting band being provided to the articles of thefirst group.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining thecigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of the first group and thesecond group on a conveying drum, the first group and the second groupbeing arranged on the conveying drum in an alternating pattern on theconveying drum.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing stepincludes transferring the uniting bands to the articles of at least oneof the first group and the second group at a constant speed.
 11. Anarrangement for a filter-attachment machine of the tobacco-processingindustry, comprising: a first tipping apparatus for applying respectiveuniting bands to articles of a first cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarettegroup; a second tipping apparatus for applying respective uniting bandsto articles of a second cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group; and ajoint rolling apparatus for wrapping each of the articles of the firstcigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group and the secondcigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group with the respective uniting band.12. The arrangement of claim 11, further comprising at least oneconveying drum for conveying the articles to at least one of the firstand second tipping apparatuses, wherein the at least one conveying drumincludes means for changing a spacing of the articles of at least one ofthe first group and the second group.
 13. The arrangement of claim 12,wherein the at least one conveying drum comprises a plurality of smallbrackets.
 14. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the at least oneconveying drum comprises pivoting lever segments.
 15. The arrangement ofclaim 11, further comprising at least one feeder element for joining atleast one exposed end of a uniting band to the articles of at least oneof the first group and the second group.
 16. The arrangement of claim11, further comprising at least one multifunctional drum for thearticles of the first and second group.
 17. The arrangement of claim 16,wherein the multifunctional drum is arranged to join at least oneexposed end of a uniting band to the articles of the first group and toremove the articles of the second group from a conveying drum.
 18. In amultifunctional drum for use in a filter attachment machine in thetobacco-processing industry, the improvement wherein the drum includes amechanism to join at least one exposed end of a uniting band to anarticle group and to remove a different article group from a conveyingdrum.
 19. In a conveying drum for conveying articles in a filterattachment machine in the tobacco-processing industry, the improvementwherein the drum includes pivoting lever segments for the articles. 20.The conveying drum of claim 19, wherein the lever segments includerecesses for the articles.
 21. The conveying drum of claim 20, wherein aspacing between two adjacent recesses is greater than an exposed end ofa uniting band between the articles.
 22. The conveying drum of claim 19,wherein the drum includes at least one spacer on each lever segment forholding an exposed end of a uniting band.